Thomas brought Ariel to the place where he woke up that morning. He opened a chest, in which he previously took his clothes and gun, and found a woman's gown. He ripped another cloth, carefully bandaged Ariel's wound, and dressed her in the cream-colored gown. Then he laid her on a mattress he found in the chest.


"There, there. You'll be all right," he कहा softly. "It is mostly shock, I guess. I hope you'll forgive me, miss, because I didn't mean to hurt you."

Ariel closed her eyes and refused to speak. She was still shocked and frightened, and she didn't quite trust Thomas yet.

"Are आप alone?" asked Thomas again. "Well, I am, too. I was separated from my family in that storm. I will take care of आप until आप get well. Then I will return आप to your home."

Ariel opened her eyes, frowned, and then closed her eyes again. Soon she fell asleep. Thomas gazed at her in admiration. How beautiful she was! And how her red hair shone, just like his own. He felt himself attracted to this mermaid as he had never been attracted to a girl before.

But Thomas could not just sit there and watch her. It was almost lunchtime. He didn't want another meal of biscuits, so he had to hunt for जानवर to eat. Luckily, he had some experience, as he still lived in Virginia for several months after John Smith's departure. He captured a pair of rabbits and cooked them on a fire.

Ariel awoke when Thomas was finishing his lunch.

"Great, you're up," कहा Thomas. "Are आप feeling better already? I have some lunch; would आप like to eat?"

"Yes, please," कहा Ariel, for she had not eaten anything since morning.

Thomas rose and walked to give Ariel a piece of rabbit meat, but his foot caught on a small log and he fell right in front of her.

Ariel laughed. "Are आप always this clumsy?"

"Well, I...." Thomas scrambled up to his feet, blushing. "Sorry I dropped your lunch. Let me take आप a new one," he said.

Ariel smiled as he handed her a new piece of rabbit meat.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's rabbit meat. Do आप like it?"

"I've never eaten meat before, but it tastes nice," smiled Ariel.

"What do मत्स्य कन्याओं usually eat?" asked Thomas.

"Well, mostly seaweed and clams and sometimes shrimp," कहा Ariel.

Thomas looked at Ariel's face. He saw that she was no longer angry with him. He sighed in relief.

"I'm glad you're not angry with me any more," कहा Thomas. "I was worried आप wouldn't speak to me for days, and then what should I do?"

Ariel laughed. "I'm not one who sulks," she said. "Besides, I could see आप didn't mean to do it. But don't talk about it any longer. Rather, tell me about yourself."

"My story is not so interesting," कहा Thomas, "but I'll tell it if आप want to hear it. I came from England with my family to start a new life in the New World, that is, America. Then last night a storm hit our ship, and I was separated from my family. A strange sea-beast I mentioned earlier to आप attacked the lifeboat of my family. I don't know whether they're safe, या whether I can ever see them again." His voice was sad.

Ariel gave a little gasp. "The sea-beast?"

"Yes -- do आप know about it?"

"It was my mistress' power! In her ritual, as she called it, she displayed her power in the form of a black dragon. It created a great storm, which attacked a ship last night. I saw it," कहा Ariel.

"Oh!" cried Thomas. "But I survived the storm. Can I hope that others survive as well?"

"It is better to hope than to despair," कहा Ariel. "When I'm better, I'll help आप look for them."

"Thank you. Thank आप so much," कहा Thomas. "And that reminds me. Let me check your bandage. Perhaps it should be changed."

Carefully, he unwrapped Ariel's bandage and examined the wound. Amazing! It was mending so well. Thomas applied a salve on it, took another cloth, and wrapped the cloth around the wound.

"It is healing so fast," Thomas told her. "You'll be better in no time."

"But it's boring just to lie down here," muttered Ariel.

"You can talk with me," कहा Thomas. "You haven't told me about yourself. It's your turn now."

link
link